


Hope for the Hopeless

by Mix Stitch (Synph)



Category: DCU - Comicverse
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-10
Updated: 2012-01-10
Packaged: 2017-12-09 13:51:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/774936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Synph/pseuds/Mix%20Stitch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Flying Grayson’s last show was in Metropolis.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hope for the Hopeless

Dick can’t stop crying.  
  
He’s all of eleven years old and he knows that he’s supposed to be a big boy, but… He can’t stop crying even though Superman of all people is kneeling down in front of him and dabbing at his dirty face with a checkered handkerchief. He’s graduated from silent tears to full on sobs that shake his shoulders and make breathing hard and Superman still doesn’t stop trying to comfort him.  
  
When Dick glances over the rise of Superman’s broad shoulders, he can see two tarpaulin covered bodies on the sawdust floor a few feet away. His parents’ bodies. The sight of them makes bile surge up hot and bitter in the back of his throat and more tears streak down his face.  
  
“I’ll find who did this,” the older man promises from so close that Dick can see every single eyelash. Superman is so earnest as he wipes away Dick’s tears and the look on his handsome face calms the preteen somewhat. “I’ll find them and bring them to justice for you. It will be alright, Dick.”  
  
Superman sounds so sure…  
  
One big thumb wipes away Dick’s tears and the gesture is so touching, so gentle, that Dick almost starts crying again. “Do you have some place to stay, son,” Superman asks as the boy shakes like a leaf in the wind. “Someplace where you can feel safe?”  
  
Dick opens his mouth and then closes it with an audible snap. “N-not anymore,” he breathes softly. “I used to feel safe here, but…” His sentence trails off into nothingness and the young boy gives Superman a pleading look. “I can’t stay here. I-I know it’s not your job or anything, but can’t you take me away from here?”  
  
He says the last bit a lot louder than he had intended, and there’s a bit of guilt in his heart at the betrayed looks that he gets from Raya as her father holds her close and turns her head away from the bloody sawdust. But Dick can’t stay at the circus. He just can’t.  
  
Superman’s kind eyes are conflicted and already, Dick expects him to say that he can’t help.  
  
“I’ll run away if you can’t help me,” Dick blurts out as hot tears leak down his cheeks. “I-I’ll run away and I’ll never come back. I don’t want to stay here anymore!” He can’t look at Superman because he knows that he must look like such a child. But he is.  
  
His parents are gone and the circus isn’t where he needs to be and Superman is smiling at him…  
  
Wait.  
  
What?  
  
“Don’t cry, Dick,” Superman says as he clasps one big hand to Dick’s shoulder. “I think I can help you.” His smile widens and he leans close so that he’s almost hugging Dick. “How well can you keep a secret?”  
  
Dick can’t stop crying and he’s still shaking from the loss of his parents, but now, he has hope. More than that, he has Superman.


End file.
